Tag: GeoPolitics

Balkan Insight reports that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci moved to dampen down speculation about an ethnic partition of the country, saying he was working only on the eventual inclusion of ethnic Albanian parts of Serbia into Kosovo.

“There will be no partition, autonomy or swapping of territories, I am just working on Presheva/Presevo, Medvegja/Medvedja and Bujanoc/Bujanovac [in Serbia] joining Kosovo,” Thaci stated.… Be Informed

The successful rescue operation in Thailand ended successfully, highlighting a number of ‘human traits’ that at times are overshadowed by the dullness of other happenings around us. This dominated most of ‘the expectations’ from news feeds around the world after a day dominated by expectations about who was about to resign next from Theresa May’s cabinet.… Be Informed

A highly fragmented political scene emerged from Tunisia’s municipal elections. The surprise victory of independent candidates may challenge the longstanding Ennahda-Nidaa Tounes alliance ahead of next year’s parliamentary and presidential elections.

Tunisians awoke to a surprise result in the polls on 6 May.… Be Informed

The Sunday Times reports that Russia threats to wage dirty campaign against Britain’s elite

Spy chiefs are braced for a Russian revenge attack in which Kremlin-backed hackers release embarrassing information on ministers, MPs and other high-profile people.

Theresa May has received intelligence risk assessments since the nerve-agent attack in Salisbury that the Putin regime could hit back with “kompromat” (compromising material) on members of her cabinet.… Be Informed

UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed she had ordered British armed forces to conduct “co-ordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons capability and deter their use”.

She said: “This is the first time as Prime Minister that I have had to take the decision to commit our armed forces in combat – and it is not a decision I have taken lightly.… Be Informed

President Trump ordered a military attack against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday, joining allies Britain and France in launching missile strikes in retaliation for what Western nations said was the deliberate gassing of Syrian civilians.

Trump announced the strikes in an address to the nation Friday evening.… Be Informed

Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook chief executive, warned on Tuesday of an online propaganda “arms race” with Russia and vowed that fighting interference in elections around the world is now his top priority.

The 33-year-old billionaire, during testimony that lasted nearly five hours, was speaking to Congress in what was widely seen as a moment of reckoning for America’s tech industry.… Be Informed

The UN Security Council held an emergency summit during the night over the alleged Syria chemical attack.

The U.N. special envoy for Syria is warning that recent grave events have escalated global tensions, drawing national, regional and international actors “into dangerous situations of potential or actual confrontation.”

He said recent developments “carry more than ever before the dangers” that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned about recently — different Mideast fault lines crossing each other and interconnecting, and conflicting interests of both global and regional powers.

Winning a two-thirds majority for the third time straight time in Sunday’s election, gives Victor Orban the power to change constitutional laws – potentially paving the way for further friction with the European Union.

Euronews reports that after Hungary’s Sunday night election and the sweeping victory for the ruling Fidesz party, Hungarian’s are saying, the city of Budapest and the countryside are different worlds.

Diplomatique.Expert member Charles Camenzuli writes about boycotts in the 88 year history of the World Cup.

2014 was an Olympic year for Russia with Sochi hosting the Winter Olympics. Post Sochi2014 brought up tremors in a foreseen earthquake which has put Russia’s credibility in our world of sport in a rather delicate situation.… Be Informed

Hungary’s right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is the second-longest-serving government leader after Germany’s Angela Merkel, seeks a third consecutive term in parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Opinion polls show that the best Orban’s Fidesz party can achieve is winning a simple majority, which is also the likeliest outcome as Fidesz has a firm lead in opinion polls.… Be Informed

Sergei Scripal’s and his daughter’s poisoning came as a bolt out of the blue, barely a week before Russia’ deadweight presidential election. Russia has been adopting an emboldened projection of its power over the past years, however this was particularly brazen.… Be Informed

The Guardian – At least seven Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli forces in Gaza, Palestinian medics have said, as protesters kicked off a planned six-week demonstration demanding the right of return for refugees.

Israel’s military said 17,000 Palestinians were “rioting” in six locations in the Gaza strip on Friday, rolling burning tires at the security fence and its troops, which it said were “responding with riot dispersal means and firing towards main instigators”.… Be Informed

POLITICO reports that in the Balkans the West is fighting back against Russia in a battle for influence in the Balkans. But although the European Union has renewed its interest in the region, the latest charge is being led by Britain.… Be Informed

Malta yesterday recalled its ambassador in Russia. It wasn’t the only country to do so. There were also a number of countries which expelled the Russian diplomats from their country.

In fact in just over a week, after the Vladimir Putin won a fourth term in office, a number of countries, normally labelled as the ‘WEST’ led by the EU and the US, expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats in what is seen as an ‘extraordinary coordinated response’ to a nerve agent attack in England that they said could only have been carried out with Moscow’s involvement.… Be Informed

In the context of the Salisbury attack, the Government of Malta stands in full solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this serious challenge to our common security.

The Government of Malta condemns the attack in Salisbury in the strongest possible terms, and agrees with the United Kingdom government’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible.… Be Informed

Libya is gearing up for an election which should be held by the year’s end. Together with the cooperation of various member states, the United Nations is committed to helping with the organizing of these elections in the hope that stability will return to this important North African country.… Be Informed